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'0. H. LAWTON. SOCKET POR INCANDESUBNT LAMPS.

(No Model.)

Patented Jan. 14, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

CHARLES H. LAVTON, OF NEV YORK., N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO I. S. ELKINS AND J. S. ZERBE, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

SOCKET FOR INCANDESCENT LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part' of Letters Patent No. 419,617, dated January 14, 1890.

Application iiled February 28, 1889. Serial No. 301,481. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. LAwroN, of New York, in the county of NewYork and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Key-Sockets forElectric Lamps, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to improvements in sockets for electric lamps, the object being to construct a cheap, simple, and efficient switch-socket of the kind in which the current can be closedl or broken quickly and easily by one hand only; and it consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointedout in the claims hereto appended.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings represents a side view of a socket embodying the invention. Fig. 2 represents a central vertical section thereof. Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of the socket-shell with its sections separated. Fig. 4: represents a reversed plan view of the switch-bar. Fig. 5 represents a detail view of the switch-bar with its spring-arms in contact with the lamp-tervminals.

cylindrical, and provided with the interiorl wires C C', which extend through the base of the said cap and end at the terminal blocks c c', respectively, the tops of which are not covered by the cap, but preferably extend outward therefrom,with their outward-prog ecting portions beveled on each side to form the respective faces c2 c3, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The insulating-cap B is provided at a proper point on its side with the stud b, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

D is the socket-shell, composed of the upper and lower sections E F, respectively. The upper section E is about hemispherical, and is provided with the central outstanding hollow neck e, which, if desired, may be threaded internally to engage a threaded hollow stud of a suitable support. The said section has preferably around its edge a convex bead e', and at suitable point-s in said edge the locklar catches f2 on the lower section to hold the sections together.

fi'f3 are opposite rectangular notches of suitable size in the upper edge of the lower section.

G is the switch-bar having a central rect angular enlarged portion f, lthe similar arms g g on each side thereof, and Ythe heads or buttons g2 g3, respectively, on the ends of said arms. The said arms rest in the notches f3 and are sufficiently long to permit the switch-bar to be slid to and fro in said notches, the central enlarged portion g preventing said bar from being withdrawn from the socket when the sections are connected, as described.

The head g2 is preferably marked On and the head g3 Off, as shown in Fig. 4.- However, any other suitable method of identifying them may be used.

H H are similar screws, which engage npward in threaded openings in the enlarged portion g of the switch-bar at a suitable distance apart, and I I are inclined spring contact-arms secured to the switch-bar by said screws, respectively, and are thus in direct connection with the circuit-wires. The said contact-arms have their inner ends bent outward again at the switch-bar and perforated for the passage of said screws. Their shanks i incline in opposite directions, crossing each other without coming in contact, and their lower ends t" are bent angularly upward and outward. The said ends are at such a distance apart that when the current is established through the lamp the said ends respectively rest upon the facing inclined surfaces 03 c2 of the terminal blocks cc', respectively. If when in this posit-ion the button g3 is pushed inward, the end t" of the springarm I separates from the terminal block o',

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K K are the electric wires, looped at their ends around or otherwise properly connected to or with the threaded ends et' the screws H H, projecting out of the switch-bar and bound in place by the th Limb-nuts t', which engage said ends.

It is obvious from the above that the cir` cuit through the lamp can be quickly and easily broken by one hand, that the lamp can be quickly detached from the socket, and that the sections E .F can be quickly separated, permitting the removal of the switch-bar. The socket being divided and the switch standing below the upper section thereof, the circuitwires K can be much more easily attachedv by the screws H to the switch-bar and with less danger of stretching than with sockets of ordinary construction, as the screws have merely to be passed through the openings on said bar and the loops at the ends ot said wires and engaged to the nuts k above, which nuts may be held by the fingers. All the switching mechanism within the socket, except the terminals or contact-points c c, are attached to the switch-bar. Thus the structure of this device is made strong, cheap, and most etfective, and the device is capa-ble of the easiest adaptation to use.

Having described my invention, I claiml. The combination, with the electric-lamp globe, the insulating-cap on the neck ot` said globe, and terminal blocks embedded in the` base of said cap and uncovered at their inner sides, of the divided socket-shell, the switch` bar sliding in said socket, and arms secured to and standing from said bar at such dis` tances apart (said arms being connected di-` rectly to the circuit-wires) that the said bar can be slid in one direction to bring the armsI in contact with the corresponding terminal bloc-.ks and in the opposite direction to break the circuit, as specified.

2. The combination,with the electric-lamp globe, the insulating-cap, and the terminal blocks c c', provided with the inclined uncovered faces c2 c3, ot' the sliding switch-bar and the inclined spring-arms I I, attached to said bar and having bent-up free ends t to make contact with the facing inclined surfaces ot the blocks c c', respectively, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the socket-shell composed of the upper and lower sections E F, respectively, of the switch-bar resting in the notches f3 of the lower section, provided with the enlarged inner portion g, the arms g', and the opposite heads g2 g3, and the inclined spring-arms I I secured to the switchbar in position to make and break circuit with the terminal blocks, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of. the electric-lamp globe, the insulating-cap on the neck thereof provided with a stud b', the terminal blocks c c', having the inclined faces c2 c3, the lower shell-section F, provided with the neck f, bayonet-slotf to engage the stud I), catches f2, and notches f3, the upper shell-section E, provided with the neck e and lockingnotches e2. the switch-bar G, having the central enlarged portion g, arms g and buttons or heads g2 g3, the inclined spring-arms I I', having the bent free ends 'i' and the electric wires K, looped around the screws Il, that secure the arms I l to the switch-bar, and bound on said screws by the nuts k, substantially as specified.

5. A switch for electric lamps, composed of a longitudin ally-movable switch-bar carrying switch-contacts ce-operating with corresponding contacts on the lamp and attached directly to or suspended from the wires of an electric circuit.

(i. A switch for electric lamps, composed of a switch-bar attached to or suspended from the wires, said bar having attached thereto all the switching mechanism of the lamp-socket, in combination with the lamp-terminals and the lamp, substantially as herein set forth.

7 A separable lamp-socket, in combination with a longitudinally-movable switchbar attached directly to the circuit-wires and removable from the socket, said bar containing all the switching mechanism of the socket, with the lamp-terminals and the lamp, substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, this 27th day of February, 188.0, in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES ll. LAlVTON.

Witnesses:

I. S. ELKINS, J. S. ZERBE.

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